The field of the invention relates generally to displaying information, and more particularly to methods and systems for use in identifying a malfunction in a machine or other asset based on a plot of data collected from the asset.
In a facility in which resources are received, processed, and converted by machines into electricity or another product, it is often beneficial to monitor the status of the machines to determine whether they are operating normally. To facilitate such monitoring, in at least some facilities, sensors are positioned adjacent to such machines to measure one or more parameters or characteristics, such as vibrations, temperatures, voltages or currents associated with the machines. In some environments with multiple machines and multiple sensors, the information collected by the sensors is transmitted to a central computer for evaluation by the computer and/or a user of the computer. Additionally, the information may be stored in a database and reviewed on an as-needed basis.
Data stored as described above may relate to a particular type of measurement for a particular machine. The data may indicate the existence of a malfunction in the machine. However, identifying the existence and nature of a malfunction from the data, even when the data is displayed in a plot, can be difficult for those who are not familiar with the machine or diagnostic analysis per plot and data type.